Every Question Answered

All Triple A prices are fully all-inclusive from our UK warehouse to your Kenya address — covering UK collection, shipping, KRA customs clearance via Azaanex Holdings Ltd, all import duties, VAT, IDF levy, and door-to-door delivery in Kenya. Nothing more to pay on arrival.

Air freight rates reduce at 100kg+ (£6.50/kg) and 250kg+ (£6.00/kg). Sea freight minimum is 20kg (£50). All prices all-inclusive.

With Triple A — no. Our price is your final price. Many UK-Kenya shippers advertise low per-kg rates that only cover delivery to the Kenyan airport or port. Their customers then receive invoices on arrival for: terminal handling, customs clearance, documentation fees, examination, quarantine, and storage — often adding £100–£300+ to the final bill.

Triple A's all-inclusive price covers everything from our Southall warehouse to your Kenya door. This is possible because we handle KRA customs clearance in-house through Azaanex Holdings Ltd — no third-party brokers, no mark-ups, no surprises.

Volumetric weight applies when a shipment is large but light. If your volumetric weight exceeds the actual weight, the higher figure is charged.

Items where volumetric weight commonly exceeds actual weight: flat-pack furniture, empty luggage, large lampshades, foam mattresses, cot frames, large cardboard boxes with light contents. Contact us with your box dimensions before booking for an exact chargeable weight.

For most personal shipments Triple A is significantly cheaper, and critically — our price is all-inclusive while DHL and FedEx rates typically exclude Kenya customs clearance, terminal handling, and duties which are billed separately on arrival.

DHL and FedEx are useful for: urgent small documents, single items under 3kg where speed is essential, or B2B express shipments with a commercial account. For everything else — clothing, electronics, household goods, excess baggage, furniture — Triple A's consolidated air and sea freight is far more cost-effective.

Potentially yes. When goods are exported from the UK, the sale is zero-rated for UK VAT. Some UK retailers will refund VAT on goods that are being exported — particularly larger purchases. This is different from a tax refund at the airport; it applies at the point of purchase if you notify the retailer the goods are for export.

Not all retailers offer this, and it requires paperwork (a VAT refund claim form). For most everyday goods shipped through our warehouse it is not practical, but for high-value purchases — electronics, appliances, furniture — it is worth asking the retailer directly.

• 💳 M-Pesa — pay directly from Kenya in Kenyan shillings
• 🏦 Bank transfer — UK or international BACS/SWIFT
• 💳 Card payment — Visa and Mastercard

Payment is required to confirm your booking. We do not hold shipment slots without payment.

Yes — and this is one of our most popular services. Use our Southall warehouse as your UK delivery address when shopping from any UK retailer — whether you're buying everyday essentials, electronics, clothing, furniture, or seasonal purchases for Christmas, Eid, Ramadan, Black Friday, Boxing Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Valentine's Day, or back-to-school season.

Amazon UK does ship some items internationally to Kenya under Amazon Global, but many items are not eligible for international delivery, and those that are often carry very high Amazon shipping fees — a £20 item can attract a £70 Amazon shipping charge to Kenya.

Using Triple A's warehouse address is far more cost-effective: shop on Amazon UK normally using our Southall address, Amazon delivers to us on standard free/Prime delivery, and we ship to Kenya at £6.99/kg (air) or £2.50/kg (sea). One address, one price, everything included.

Any UK retailer that delivers to a UK address. This includes:

• 📦 Online marketplaces: Amazon, eBay, AliExpress UK
• 👗 Fashion: ASOS, Zara, H&M, Primark (click & collect delivery), Next, Marks & Spencer, Boohoo, PrettyLittleThing
• 📱 Electronics: Currys, Argos, John Lewis, Apple Store UK
• 🏠 Home & furniture: IKEA, Dunelm, B&Q, Habitat, Very
• 💄 Beauty: Boots, Superdrug, Look Fantastic, Charlotte Tilbury
• 🛒 Supermarkets (non-perishable only): Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda, Waitrose
• 🔧 Tools & equipment: Screwfix, Toolstation, Machine Mart

Yes. Our team can purchase items from UK retailers on your behalf — simply send us the product link, confirm the specification, and we purchase, receive, and ship to Kenya as part of your consolidated shipment. A small sourcing fee applies. This is particularly useful for customers in Kenya who cannot access UK payment methods or have items that require a UK billing address. Contact us via WhatsApp to discuss.

Yes — this is exactly what our Shop & Ship service is designed for. All parcels arriving at our Southall warehouse under your name are consolidated into one shipment to Kenya. You pay one all-inclusive price for the total weight, saving on multiple individual courier costs. We can hold your parcels for a short period before your chosen departure date.

With Triple A — no additional charges on arrival. Our all-inclusive price covers KRA customs clearance, terminal handling, import duties, VAT, IDF levy, RDL levy, and all Kenyan port charges. This is handled in-house by Azaanex Holdings Ltd, our KRA-licensed clearing company at Nairobi ICD and Mombasa Port. No third-party brokers, no mark-ups, no surprise invoices.

CIF value = Cost of goods + Insurance + Freight (shipping cost). KRA uses CIF as the basis for all duty calculations.

KRA stands for the Kenya Revenue Authority — the government body responsible for customs clearance and import duties on all goods entering Kenya. Every shipment arriving in Kenya must be declared to and cleared by KRA. Triple A handles this in-house through Azaanex Holdings Ltd, our KRA-licensed clearing company in Nairobi.

A KRA PIN (Personal Identification Number) is required for all imports into Kenya. It's your tax identification number used by KRA's iCMS (Integrated Customs Management System) to process your import declaration. All Kenyan citizens and residents have or can get a KRA PIN.

Register free at itax.kra.go.ke. You will also need to activate your KRA PIN on KenTrade before importing a full container — if not activated, Azaanex cannot file your IDF.

KenTrade is Kenya's National Electronic Single Window System — the portal through which all import declarations, IDF applications, and pre-shipment inspection certificates are processed and cross-verified. Your KRA PIN must be activated on KenTrade before your container arrives at Mombasa. If it is not active, Azaanex cannot file your declaration and your container will sit in port accruing demurrage fees while the issue is resolved.

The IDF is the official document filed with KRA through KenTrade before goods arrive in Kenya. It declares the nature, quantity, and CIF value of your shipment. Azaanex files the IDF on your behalf as part of our all-inclusive clearance service. For sea freight, Azaanex pre-files the IDF before the vessel arrives at Mombasa so clearance can begin on day 1.

Personal effects and excess baggage:

• Copy of passport or national ID
• Detailed packing list with contents and estimated values per box
• Kenya delivery address

Commercial cargo (additional):

• Commercial invoice with item descriptions and values
• Packing list
• Import permits or KEBS certificates where required
• Proof of purchase for high-value components (engines, ECUs, electronics)

Full container / returning resident (additional):

• Original Bill of Lading (naming you as both shipper and consignee)
• KRA PIN certificate
• KenTrade activation confirmation
• Original passport with valid stamps

KEBS stands for the Kenya Bureau of Standards. Certain product categories imported into Kenya require a KEBS Certificate of Conformity (CoC) or Pre-Export Verification of Conformity (PVoC) before they can clear customs. Products commonly requiring KEBS inspection:

• New and used electronics and electrical equipment
• Children's toys and baby products
• Food products and food contact materials
• Cosmetics and personal care products
• Tyres and automotive parts (quality standards apply)
• Medical equipment (PPB license also required)

Our team will advise before shipping if your specific goods require KEBS documentation.

KRA has the right to physically examine any shipment. If your container or parcel is selected for examination, Azaanex attends the examination on your behalf. Examinations typically add 1–3 days to the clearance process. The best way to avoid exam delays: provide a complete, accurate, itemised packing list — inconsistencies between declared contents and physical examination are the most common trigger for KRA holds.

• 🚫 Narcotics, cannabis, and controlled drugs — including CBD oil (prohibited in Kenya)
• 🚫 Firearms, ammunition, and weapon parts without government permits
• 🚫 Explosives and fireworks
• 🚫 Counterfeit or pirated goods — fake branded clothing, counterfeit electronics
• 🚫 Pornographic or obscene materials under Kenyan law
• 🚫 Witchcraft or occult paraphernalia
• 🚫 Cosmetics containing hydroquinone or mercury (banned by KEBS)
• 🚫 Hazardous chemicals and toxic waste
• 🚫 Cash or currency in parcels
• 🚫 Toy guns and realistic-looking weapon replicas

Yes — Triple A ships perfumes and cosmetics by air freight. Sealed, commercially packaged perfumes and beauty products are accepted. Cosmetics containing hydroquinone or mercury are banned and will be seized at KRA. Large commercial quantities of cosmetics may require KEBS verification. Contact us before shipping a commercial cosmetics consignment.

Alcohol can be shipped by sea freight only — not air freight. Commercial importation requires an import permit and is subject to Excise Duty and additional levies. Small personal quantities as part of a household effects shipment may be accepted — contact us before booking to confirm quantities and documentation requirements.

Yes. Electronics are among the most commonly shipped items on this route. New electronics ship freely. Used or refurbished electronics may require a KEBS inspection certificate. High-value electronics must be declared at full value. Commonly shipped: iPhones, Samsung phones, laptops, tablets, Smart TVs, washing machines, fridges, ovens, and kitchen equipment.

Standard vitamins, minerals, and food supplements in sealed commercial packaging are generally accepted. Products making medical claims may require a Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) import permit. Contact us before shipping any supplement or health product if you are unsure.

Yes — vehicle parts are one of our most common commercial shipments.

Contact us with a full parts list, quantities, and values for an accurate all-inclusive quote.

Yes — generators and solar panels are popular commercial imports on the UK–Kenya route. Generators ship by sea freight; all fuel must be completely drained before shipping. Solar panels and inverters are generally low-duty or zero-duty capital goods. Commercial quantities may require KEBS verification.

Generators and solar equipment are among the goods most likely to benefit from UK-Kenya EPA preferential duty if they are UK-manufactured. Ask us before ordering from your UK supplier.

Medical equipment: Yes, but requires a Certificate of Conformity (CoC) from a KEBS-approved inspection company, and the importing company must have a valid Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) or Ministry of Health approval for regulated devices.

Medicines / pharmaceuticals: Require a Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) import license. Personal-use prescription medicines in original packaging with a valid prescription generally pass through with a detailed packing list. Commercial pharmaceutical imports need full PPB clearance.

Bicycles: Yes — sea freight is the most cost-effective option. Standard import duty applies (25% CIF for finished goods).

Motorcycles: Yes — treated similarly to vehicles. Must comply with KRA age and roadworthiness requirements. NTSA registration required on arrival.

Gym equipment: Yes — benches, weights, treadmills, and home gym equipment ship by sea freight. All fuel/hydraulic fluid must be drained from motorised equipment.

Yes. Books and printed educational materials are zero-rated for import duty in Kenya and ship freely. Include them on your packing list. Pornographic or obscene printed materials are prohibited. Business documents, contracts, and personal correspondence ship freely.

Yes — and the container stays yours on arrival in Kenya. You pack it in the UK. Triple A ships it to Mombasa. Azaanex clears it. On arrival, the container is yours.

Price covers the container, shipping to Mombasa, and KRA clearance via Azaanex. Keep the container in Kenya for storage, a site office, a workshop, or residential accommodation.

A 20ft container has approximately 33 cubic metres (CBM) of usable space. In practical terms, this is roughly equivalent to the household contents of a 2–3 bedroom house: two sofas, a double bed and two single beds, wardrobes, a dining set, kitchen appliances (washing machine, fridge, microwave), boxes of clothing and personal effects, and some tools or equipment.

A 40ft container has approximately 67 cubic metres (CBM) of usable space — double a 20ft. This comfortably holds the full contents of a 3–5 bedroom house, or a significant commercial stock consignment. High-cube 40ft containers (40ft HC) offer additional ceiling height for tall items.

KRA import duties and levies on the goods are assessed separately on the declared CIF value. Contact Azaanex for a duty estimate specific to your cargo.

FCL (Full Container Load) — you fill an entire container. Better value per CBM for large shipments. Your goods travel in their own sealed container with no other cargo. Faster clearance at Mombasa.

LCL (Less than Container Load) — your goods share a container with other shippers' cargo, charged per CBM or per kg. Triple A's standard sea freight service (£2.50/kg) is an LCL consolidated groupage service. LCL is better value for shipments under ~15 CBM.

Demurrage is the daily charge levied by Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) after your container's free period expires at Mombasa Port. It accrues quickly and abandoned containers — where the owner underestimated clearance costs — are a common and expensive problem at Mombasa.

Free periods before demurrage starts:

• Standard carrier container: 9 free days
• Shipper's Own Container (SOC): 28 free days

Azaanex pre-files the IDF before the vessel arrives so clearance processing begins on day 1, keeping well within the free period for fully documented shipments.

Excess baggage shipping is the most convenient option when you have more luggage than you can check on your flight, or when you want to send suitcases and holdalls to Kenya ahead of or after your trip without the hassle of airline overweight charges. It uses our standard air freight service at the same all-inclusive rates.

Suitcases and holdalls are charged at our standard air freight rate of £6.99/kg — the higher of actual weight or volumetric weight. A packed 20kg suitcase costs £140 including KRA customs clearance. Compare this to airline overweight charges which can reach £80–£150+ for a single bag with no customs clearance included.

3 business days by air freight — same service as all Triple A air freight shipments. Departs Friday from Heathrow, arrives Nairobi Monday, delivered Wednesday. For non-urgent excess baggage, sea freight at £2.50/kg and 40–45 days is also available.

Yes, we accept suitcases, holdalls, and soft luggage bags. All packaging must be clearly labelled with your name and Kenya delivery address. Note that suitcases may be opened by KRA officers for customs inspection on arrival in Kenya. Use TSA-approved locks or no locks — standard padlocks that customs cannot open may be cut off.

1. 1Get a quote from Triple A for your specific cargo — type, weight, volume, and UK origin address.
2. 2Confirm your UK supplier provides a commercial invoice, packing list, and proof of UK origin if claiming EPA preferential duty.
3. 3Book and pay — cargo is collected from your UK supplier or delivered to our Southall warehouse.
4. 4Triple A ships to Kenya (air or sea); Azaanex files the IDF before arrival.
5. 5KRA clears the shipment — duties assessed on CIF value unless EPA preferential rate applies.
6. 6Cargo delivered to your Kenya address or warehouse — all-inclusive, nothing more to pay.

Yes — machinery and industrial equipment is one of our strongest commercial shipping categories. Most capital goods and industrial machinery attract 0% import duty under the EAC Common External Tariff, and UK-manufactured machinery may benefit from additional EPA preferential treatment.

Triple A handles pallet shipments, project cargo, oversized equipment, and FCL container loads of machinery from the UK to Kenya. Contact us for a bespoke commercial quote including Azaanex customs clearance estimates from our Kenya team.

A Harmonised System (HS) code is the international product classification used by KRA to determine the import duty rate for your goods. Every product has a unique 6–10 digit HS code. The correct HS code determines whether you pay 0%, 10%, or 25% import duty — and whether EPA preferential rates apply.

Find your HS code via the KRA website or ask Azaanex to classify your goods before booking. An incorrect HS code can result in KRA penalties of up to 50% of evaded duty.

Yes. Triple A's Southall warehouse serves as a UK consolidation hub. Your multiple UK suppliers can all deliver to Unit Z01, Canal Yard, Hayes Road, Southall UB2 5NA, and we consolidate everything into one shipment to Kenya — saving on multiple freight costs and one consolidated KRA clearance via Azaanex.

Yes. Triple A operates warehouses in 8 countries: UK, Kenya, UAE, USA, Germany, Holland, India, and China. We can consolidate shipments from multiple countries into a single Kenya-bound consignment — ideal for businesses sourcing from China or UAE as well as the UK, or diaspora customers with goods coming from multiple locations.

• ✈️ Air Freight — £6.99/kg, 3 business days, weekly Friday departures from Heathrow
• 🚢 Sea Freight — £2.50/kg, 40–45 days, twice-monthly sailings
• 🗳 FCL Container Shipping — 20ft from £2,200 · 40ft from £3,200
• 🛢️ Barrel Shipping — £160 per 220-litre barrel
• 🧳 Excess Baggage — from £35 for 5kg by air
• 🛒 Shop & Ship — UK warehouse address for any online retailer
• 🚗 Vehicle Shipping — RoRo from £1,195, QISJ inspection arranged
• 🏠 Returning Resident Shipping — duty-free household removal specialists
• 📦 Used Container Sales — 20ft from £900 · 40ft from £1,500 delivered to Kenya
• 🏭 Commercial & Project Cargo — FCL, LCL, pallets, machinery, generators

A common UK to Kenya shipping FAQ question is who Azaanex is. Azaanex Holdings Ltd is Triple A's sister company in Nairobi, Kenya — a KRA-licensed customs clearing agent handling all import declarations, KRA clearance, and Kenya Ports Authority processes for Triple A shipments at Nairobi ICD and Mombasa Port. Because Azaanex is in-house (not a third-party broker), we control the entire clearance process — meaning faster processing, no broker mark-ups, and no surprise charges for our customers on arrival.

• All-inclusive pricing — one price, nothing to pay in Kenya
• In-house KRA clearance — via Azaanex, no third-party broker fees
• 8 global warehouses — UK, Kenya, UAE, USA, Germany, Holland, India, China
• M-Pesa accepted — pay in Kenyan shillings from Kenya
• Southall warehouse — at the heart of the UK Kenyan community
• Returning resident specialists — in-house expertise on duty-free clearance
• Used container sales — ship and own your container in Kenya
• UK-Kenya EPA guidance — we help commercial importers access preferential duty rates

• 📍 Unit Z01, Canal Yard, Hayes Road, Southall UB2 5NA
• 📞 UK: +44 7800 648 660
• 📞 Kenya: +254 111 81 81 81
• ✉️ info@tripleafreight.co.uk
• 💬 WhatsApp: +44 7800 648 660
• 🕐 Mon–Fri 09:30–17:30 | Sat 09:30–15:00

Our team responds to all enquiries within 2 hours during business hours.